Electrical switch



Nov. 19,1929; v L. A. M. PHELAN I ELECTRICAL SWITCH I 1 Filed Dec. 1, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inlli! 75 mum 76 75 jYUTZ/S W W M Nov. 19, 1929. L. A. M. PHELAN 1,735,129

ELECTRICAL swITcH Filed Dec. 1, 1922 a Sheets-Sheet 2 M Mam {3% Patented Nov. 19, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOUIS A. M. PHELAN, OF BELOIT, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOB, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO TIME-O-STAT CONTROLS COMPANY, OF ELKHART, INDIANA, A

CORPQRATION OF MARYLAND ELECTRICAL SWITCH Application filed December 1, 1922. Serial No. 604,162.

cooperating electrodes adapted to be bridged by a body of mercury when the container is properly actuated or tilted from a position bordering on the horizontal.

My present invention employs an electrical contactor of the above character, associated with pressure actuated members which are expanded or contracted by reason of a greater or lesser pressure efiecting movement thereof, which movement constitutes the actuating force for the said contactor.

The electrical cont-actor is designed to be mounted on a suitable supporting structure which is operatively connected with a pressure operated member that serves on expansion and contraction thereof toactuate the contactor tube or to tilt the contactor tube into and out of circuit closing position.

- One object of my invention is to provide a switch of this type which can be conveniently adjusted to accommodate a wide range of pressures exerted upon a pressure responsive device and which at the same time will be very positive in its operation.

A further particular object of my invention is to provide simple adjusting means for varying the necessary amount of effective pressure required to tilt the contactor back to normal position after it has oncebeen actuated.

A further object of my invention is to provide a switch device of the type indicated that will be simple and economical to construct and which will possess great durability even when subjected to mechanical abuse and when used in connection withconsiderable quantities of electrical current .at substantial voltages.

Further objects will appear upon reference to the following description and accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is an elevational View of one form of my present invention, the cover being removed to exhibit the structural features of the electrical switch in question;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 77 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 15 a top plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1 g

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of a further modification Fig. 5 is a view of the device shown in Fig. 4: with the cover removed;

Fig. 6 is a view taken at right angles to Fig. 5 showing the details of certain parts; an

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the device as shown in Fig. 5.

The specific structure of Figs. 1 through 3 in general; comprises a liquid contactor tube which is mounted on a suitable supporting and tilting mechanism which is operated by a pressure operated member, in this instance a diaphragm. The contactor tube 51 may be mounted as hereinafter pointed out and serves to make and break an electrical circuit.

The tube 51 comprises a glass container enclosing suitable electrodes 51* which are adapted to be bridged by a body of conducting liquid 51 such as mercury. The electrodes 51 are adapted to'be connected to an external electrical circuit by means of the leads and 56 respectively which may extend through openings or slits in the rubber band 51 surrounding the contactor tube 51.

In Fig. 1 is shown the contactor tube 51 mounted in connection with the operating mechanism 52 which is enclosed in a casing- 53. The casing 53 is mounted upon a diaphragm chamber 54. The electrical circuit through the tube 51 passes through the flexible leads 55 and 56. The contactor tube 51 is mounted in a spring clip 57, which is attached to a tiltable support or collar 58 mounted on a shaft 59. The collar 58 has an operating lever 60 extending transversely thereto.

A tilt-in actuator comprises a yoke member 61 having an arm 62 fastened to its upper end by the screws 63. The arm 62 has an opening 64: at its end through which the operating lever 60 freely passes. The actuator 61 is pivotally mounted at its lower end upon 68. A small indentation 69 is formed at the lower end of the actuator 61 and is engaged by a push rod 70 which extends up from the diaphragm chamber 54.

The diaphragm chamber 54 comprises flanged portions 71 and 72 which serve to retain the pressure operated member or diaphragm 74 therebetween. A gasket 75 serves to make a tight connection between the flange portion 72 and the diaphragm 74. Pressure chambers 71 and 72 are formed respectively in the flanged portions 71 and 72. The pressure is admitted to the chamber 72 through an opening 7 6and the diaphragm 74 contracts or expands in accordance with the pressure impressed upon it.

The diaphragm 74 constitutes a pressure responsive element and by its contraction and expansion serves to raise or lower the push rod 70 that,'in turn, tilts the actuator 61,

thereby pivotally biasing it about the shaft 65. The actuator 61 floats upon the expansible and contractible element 74 and bv this qualification I mean that the actuator 61 rests or floats upon the push rod 70 attached to the element 74 but that it, the actuator 61, is not attached or secured to the element 74. r The push rod 70 is adjustably connected to a disc 77 resting upon a diaphragm 74 by means of a collar 78 and a nut 79. By turning the nut 79 the height of the push rod 70 may be adjusted with respect to the yoke 61.

This adjustment may be utilized to assist in regulating the tilting angle of the contactor tube 51.

A spring 80 opposes the movement of the yoke 61 by the pressure operated dia phragm 74 and is attached to the yoke by a screw 81. The other endof the spring 80 is adj ustably secured to the casing 53 by a screw rod 82, which extends through an opening 83 in a wall of the casing 53 and is engaged by a thumb screw 84.

The leads 55 and 56 may be extended to a.

chamber 85 at the center of the casing 53, which may be filled with sealing wax to retain the wires in their proper position and in order to cover and insulate connections at this point if desired.

lugs 91 and 92 respectively formed at the lower edge of the casing 53.

The operation of the structure of Figs. 1 through 3 will now be outlined. The outlet 76 may be connected to the pressure chamher, the pressure of which is to be regulated. The expansible and contractible diaphragm 74 will then expand or contract in accordance with the pressure impressed upon it. As-

tached parts to closed circuit position. The

contactor switch is shown in Fig. 1 as being in closed circuit position because the electrodes 51 are bridged by the mercury 51.

In order to adjust the device to control the electrical circuit for a predetermined expansion or contraction of the diaphragm 74, the

thumb nut 84 is turned until the spring 80 is under'the proper tension to just counteract the force of this pressure on the expansible and contractible diaphragm 74.

The modification of my invention shown by the structure in-Figs. 4 through 7 comprisesin a general way the contactor tube 93, which is mounted upon and tilted by an actuator 94, which is in turn operated by a pressure responsive device or diaphragm The tube .93 is of the same type as the tube hereinbefore mentioned, having its cooperating electrodes and which are adapted to be bridged by a body of mercury and is fitted with the flexible leads 96 and 97 which, in this instance, are shown covered with glass beads'98 for insulation and protective purposes. The leads 96 and 97 are extended by the rigid connections. 99 and 99 which pass to the exterior of the casing through the chamber 100 filled with insulating compound 101, which serves to retain and seal the leads in their proper position.

The tube 93 is retained in a tiltable holder or spring clip 102 which surrounds the tube and is separated therefrom bya rubber protecting band 103. The spring clip 102 is pivoted upon a screw 104, which is threaded into a supporting bracket 105.

The actuator 94 comprises a yoke member 106 which is pivoted at 107 to a lug 108 and to a support 109 and provided with spaced parallel extension arms 110 and 111. The

. arms 110 and 111 are fitted'respectively with adjusting screws 112 and 113 having lock nuts 114 and 115. The spring clip 102 is pro vided'with an arm 116, which extends between the inwardly extending ends of the screws 112 and 113.

The yoke member 106 is retained in the position shown in Fig. by means of an ad- )ustable spring 117 attached at one end to the extension arm 118 upon the yoke 106 and adj ustably secured at its other end to the base 119 of the device by screw rod 120, which extends down through the base 119 and terminates at the adjustable thumb nut 121.

, Theyoke 106 is limited in its movement about the pivot 107 by extension legs 122 and 123, which are adapted-to engage the base 119 when the yoke is tilted to either extreme position.

A cover 124 is fixed by a screw 125 and by means of a lug 126 to the base 119.

The conventional type of pressure diaphragm chamber is provided at the under side of base 119 and since it does not form an essential part of my present invention, it will not be described in detail.

The actuator 94, which comprises the yoke 106 of this modification isoperated by the expansible and contracti'ble element in a manner similar to the operation of the actuator 61 as above described in connection with the switch of Fig. 1. The spring 117 serves a purpose similar to that of the spring 80 in the switch of Fig. 1. As the actuator 94 is tilted -in response to the actuation of the pressure responsive diaphragm, the screws 112 and 113 engage the arm 116 and thereby serve to tilt abruptly the contactor tube 93 into and out of circuit making position. The position of the screws 112 and 113 may be. adjusted. The adjustment of screw 112 determines the time at which the contactor tube is to be tilted to its open circuit position, while the adjustment of screw 113 determines the time in reference to the actuation of the pressure diaphragm, at which the tube is tilted to its closed circuit position, as shown in Fig. 5. The distance between the inner ends of screws 112 and 113 determines the change in pressure necessary to result in actuation of thetube.

In the electrical switch of Figs. 4 to 7, inclusive, the contactor 93 is operated by means of the actuator 94. The adjustable tension spring 117 provides means for predetermining the point at which the actuator 94 will cause the contactor 93 to be tilted to open circuit position. In the specific embodiment shown herein the actuator 94 is moved bythe expansible and contractible diaphragm and, consequently, adjustment of the spring 117 will predetermine the pressure at which the contactor 93 will be moved to open circuit position. The adjustable screws 112 and 113, in conjunction with the arm 116, constitute means for adjusting the range of pressure change that must occur before the contactor 93 will be moved again from open circuit position to closed circuit position. In other words, the adjustable screws 112 and 113 provide a lost-motion over-center mechanism for controlling the range through which the contactor 93 is operable to control an electric cir- While I have shown and described several embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that many modifications may be made therein without departing from the' spirit and scope of the appended claims and I desire that only such limitations shall be imposed upon my invention as are specifically pointed out in the claims and such as are required by the prior art.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent in the United States, is:

1. An electric switch comprising a contactor tube with cooperating electrodes to open andclose an electric-circuit, a tiltable holder for said contactor, a tiltable actuator for tilting said holder and contactor, expansible and contractible means upon which said actuator floats and which serves to move said actuator, and adjustable means for biasing the position of said actuator occasioned by said expansible and contractible means.

2. An electric switch comprising a contactor tube with cooperating electrodes to open and close an electric circuit, a tiltable mounting for said contactor, a tiltable actuator for moving said tiltable mounting, an expansible and contractible element for moving said actuator whereby said contactor may be tilted thereby controlling the electric circuit, and means for biasing the position of said floating actuator.

3. An electric switch comprising a contactor tube having cooperating electrodes to open and close an electric circuit, a tiltable holder for said contactor tube, a tiltable actuator for tilting said holder and said contactor tube, an expansible and contractible diaphragm upon which said actuator floats whereby said actuator is operated to move said tiltable holder and contactor tube, and means for varying the point of actuation of said contactor tube in response to said expansible and contractible diaphragm.

4., An electric switch comprising a contactor tube with cooperating electrodes to open and close an electric circuit, a tiltable mounting for said contactor, a tiltable actua tor having adjustable means thereon, an exhaving projecting means thereon cooperating with said adjustable means whereby said contactor may be tilted thereby controlling said electric circuit.

6. An electric switch comprising a contactor tube with cooperating electrodes to open andclose an electric circuit, a tiltable mounting for said contactor, a tiltable actutor having diametrically opposed adjusting members thereon, an expansible and contractible element for tilting said actuator, and means for biasing the position of said actuator, said tiltable mounting having projecting' means thereon for engagement with and between the ends of said adjusting members whereby said contactor may be tilted thereby controlling said electric circuit.

7. An electric switch comprising a contactor tube with cooperating electrodes to open and close an electric circuit, a tiltable mounting for said contactor, an actuator having a yoke member on the upper end thereof, a pair of diametrically opposed screws engaging said yoke member, a pressure operated expansible and contractible element for tilting said actuator, and means for biasing the action of said actuator, said tiltable mounting having projecting means thereon for engagement with and between the ends of said diametrically opposed screw members whereby said contactor may be tilted thereby controlling'said electric circuit.

8. An electrical switch comprising a con-' tactor tube with cooperating electrodes to open and close an electric circuit, a tiltable mounting for said contactor, an actuator, a pressure operated expansible and contractible element for tilting said actuator, and means for biasing the position of said actuator, said tiltable mounting having projecting means thereon for engaging said actuator through a lost motion connection whereby said contractor may be tilted thereby controlling said electric circuit.

9. An electric switch comprising a casing providing a pressure chamber, a pressure responsive element actuated by the pressure obtaining therein, an actuator operated by said pressure responsive element, a contactor tube, a tiltable holder therefor provided with a projection, said actuator having spaced arms thereupon between which said holder projection extends to provide a lost-motion connection therebetween whereby said contactor tube maybe tilted to control an external electric circuit, and means for varying the degree of lost motion between said spaced arms and said holder projection.

10. An electric switch comprising a casing having a pressure chamber, a pressure responsive element serving as a wall for said chamber, an actuator operated by said pressure element, a contactor tube, a tiltable holder for said contactor tube provided with a projection, said actuator having two spaced arms between which said projection extends thus establishing therebetween a lost-motion connection whereby said contactor tube may be tilted from one position to another to control an electric circuit.

11. A pressure operated electric switch comprising a casing providing a pressure chamber, a pressure responsive element actuated by the pressure obtaining in said chamber, a tiltable actuator operated by said pressure responsive element, a contactor tube, a tiltably mounted holder therefor, said holder having a projection thereupon and said actuator having spaced arms between which said projection extendsthus providing a lost-m0- tion connection between said actuator and said projection, and adjustable means for varying the degree of lost motion between said actuator and said holder.

12. An electric switch comprising a contactor tube for controlling an electric circuit, a tiltably mounted holder therefor provided with a projection, and an actuator having spaced arms between which said projection extends to provide alost-motion connection between said actuator and said holder for allowing said contactor to move freely from one tilted position the other tilted position.

13. An electric switch comprising a contactor tube-for controlling an electric circuit, a tiltably mounted holder therefor provided with a projection, and an actuator having adjustable spaced arms between which said proection extends to provide an adjustable lostmotion connection between said actuator and said holder for tiltin said contactor tube and allowing it to move reely from one tilted position to the other tilted position.

14. An electric switch comprising a contactor tube for controllin an electric circuit, a tiltably mounted ho der therefor proable directly with'the lever between its, ivv oted and free ends to swing the lever m a direction to tilt said contact or tube in one position, and a spring independent-of the pivotal mounting of the. lever and connected with said lever to swin it in a direction to tilt said contactor tube m the opposite d1rec-, tion; v I v 16. An electrical switch comprising a contactor having cooperating electrodes to open and close an electric circuit, a tiltable holder for said contactor that is pivoted at a point lever between its ends to swing the lever for tilting said contactor tube, a spring independent of the ivotal mounting of the lever and associated t erewith to o ose the movement thereof that is impartelfby said expan sible and contractible member, and additional adjustable means associatedwith said lever for affecting the action of said lever upon said contactor tube. 5 i v In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

LOUIS A. M. PHELAN.

relatively close to the contactor, an actuator therefor, a pressure operatedlexpansible and contractible member for imparting movement to said actuator, adjustable means forcontrollin the action of said actuator, and an adjusta le lost-motion connection between said actuator and said tiltable holder for controlling the operation of said contactor.

17 An electrical switch comprising a contactor tube having cooperating electrodes to open and close an electric circuit, a body of mercury in said contactor tube, a 'tiltable holder for said contactor tube that is pivoted at a point relative] close to said contactor tube, an actuator t erefor, a pressure operated expansible and contractible diaphragm. for imparting movement to said actuator, ad- 'justable spring meansassociated with said actuator tending to oppose movement thereof by said expansible and contractible diaphragm a connection. between said actuator and said tiltable holder, and additional adjustable means associated with said actuator for assisting in controlling the eflect of said actuator 'upon said tiltable holder forthe contactor.

1-8. In an electric switch, the combination of a second class lever having a fixed ivotal support atone end, a contactor tube aving a plvotal-mounting inlsubstantially horizon of and remote tal position independentl from the pivotal support 0 said lever, means connecting the other end of said lever with said contactor tube mounting for tiltin the contactor tube by angular movement 0 said lever, said contactor tube havin at one end and mercury therein or connecting and disconnecting said electrodes by the tilting of the contactor tube, an expansible and contractible member cooperable with the electrodes 

